Catastrophe
by Aquilibra
Summary: When Ben has to stop Animo, who's out of intergalactic jail and up to his old tricks again, something unexpected happens to the hero. And part of this new 'life' just might include being Animo's pet, or worse, being VILGAX'S new play thing...
1. Just Like Old Times

**Aquilalibra:** Hi guys! Long time no see! I know it's been a while since I've posted or updated anything, but I promise you, I've been working my poor fingers off! I have a lot of upcoming projects planned-so many I don't even know if I'll be able to do them all! But, nevertheless, I'll do my best! As always, as you're reading this, make sure to look for any errors or misspellings. I'm a huge stickler about my grammar, and I wish to provide a good quality read that doesn't require you to see glaring mistakes! So if you see any, please notify me! That way I can get right onto fixing it!

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**Catastrophe**

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Chapter 1: Something Fishy

In the small town of Bellwood, a series of explosions ripped through the streets—claiming several cars and chunks of asphalt as its victims. Smoke billowed into the sky, making the warm, bright September day seem like late afternoon. Clouds of ash covered the sun, blotting out the skies from below. Screams of terror and desperation wailed from within the city, so great and many that it seemed as if Bellwood itself was crying out for help. Suddenly an earth-trembling quake shook the area and an object that looked not unlike a flaming comet shot from the far west side of the city through several tall buildings and into the cement; making a good sized dent in the road. The flaming comet slowly rose from the hole and the shape became almost human-like in appearance. Except it was on fire. Fire covered the entire form, except for a few places which looked to be composed of magma-like rocks, and a spot in the middle of its chest which sported a strange looking device of green and black in an hourglass shape. Orange and yellow flames flickered from the figure as it brushed rocks and other debris from it shoulders with a flaming hand. Looking up towards the direction from where it had come, what could be called a scowl in human terms appeared on its fiery face. "Just one day without a bad guy showing up. That's all I want. _Is that seriously too much to ask for_?" It announced to no one in particular in a crackling voice that was definitely male.

Shooting a circle of fire around himself, the blazing figure shot off the ground and into the smoking sky with a mass of cement beneath him. Rising rapidly, he scanned the city below searching for the cause of this whole disturbance. Spotting the culprit not but two or three blocks away, he propelled the makeshift "rock-saucer" towards the ground again. He pulled up quickly as the street came into view and came face to face with a very misplaced creature. On a normal day, Bellwood was not a place you would usually find prehistoric dinosaurs—_not to mention a three thousand pound_ _T-Rex_—in the streets. But there was most certainly one very alive and also very angry T-Rex with an equally mad and most definitely crazy old man on his back. "I didn't know we were visiting the dinosaur exhibit today, Doc. I would have brought my camera!" the alien shouted at the white-haired figure on the T-Rex's back. Swinging his head round to look with shock and then fury down at the flaming hero, the old man snarled out a single angry word. "YOU!" Shaking his head with a mock pout, the hero tutted at the furious man. "Tut, tut, tut, I expected more of a comeback from you Dr. Animo! I mean really; you? That could be anyone; this is the world famous and renowned hero Ben Tennyson we're talking about! Show a little appreciation!"

"You want appreciation Tennyson?" The now thoroughly furious doctor shouted, "How about this!?" he pointed what looked like a strange gun at the fiery alien and pulled the trigger. Instantly a tremendous blast shot towards the hovering hero. Not quite pulling out of the way quickly enough, the blast hit the rock he was floating on. The shot exploded on impact and knocked the flaming alien off balance enough that he fell to the street below. _At least the ground wasn't quite so far away this time_, Ben mused as he hit the ground, _but it_ _would have been nice if Gwen and Kevin hadn't gone on Fall Break either_. His sisterly cousin and close guy-friend had left about two weeks before, saying they need a little "boyfriend-girlfriend" time. Which of course meant that he wasn't invited to go along, not that he really wanted to go anyway. Groaning, he flipped onto his back, and stared at the smoke-filled sky above him. Being 16, the only thing he should had have to worry about at this age was puberty, girls, and driving. But being a widely known [universal actually] hero, it was his duty to safeguard all life, and his own hometown was no exception. Sitting up while rubbing his head, he was interrupted from his musing by the thundering sound of feet closing in. Turning his head quickly, Ben saw something he had never seen before—and hoped to never see again in his life. A massive, terrifyingly sharp-toothed prehistoric creature hurtling itself at him at speeds that could have easily matched that of an automobile. As each giant clawed foot came down, the earth beneath Ben trembled at the force. It was surprising in itself that a T-Rex could even _move _that fast. But then again, Ben had never been one to pay to close of attention in school; so it very well may have been that the extinct (well, supposed to be extinct) reptile was quite familiar with speed. There was also the factor of Dr. Animo's genetic tampering habit to consider.

_Well it certainly is one hell of a super dino_, the alien hero thought as the T-Rex with its less-than-sane passenger quickly neared him. The mutant dinosaur roared as one of its two feet descended over the sitting teen. Hurriedly rolling into a crouch, Ben stumbled to his feet and backed about a foot away as a giant foot hit the ground where he had been only a moment earlier. Trying to catch his breath from the sudden shot of adrenaline, he glanced up to see the Rex heading his way again. This time he was ready, and as the dinosaur neared him, he summoned a ball of flame in his palms and threw it at the rider of the prehistoric reptile. His aim was true; Animo screamed with fury as the ball of fire hit his trans-modulator on his head and knocked it to the pavement. It landed with a clang, and Ben quickly sent another fireball at the tech and set it aflame. "My trans-modulator! You insolent little brat!" Dr. Animo shrieked at the smirking hero. "What's wrong Animo? Don't like it when your _toys_ are broken?" The smirk grew on the teen's face as the doctor's expression went from heated to murderous. If looks could kill, Ben would be little more than a pile of ash on the ground.

Ben Tennyson felt pretty high and mighty at that moment; that is, until he heard a familiar ominous beeping coming from his chest. Jerking his head downwards, he looked at the watch that was currently making the sound and flashing red. A haze of red light blinded Animo for a moment as Ben changed from alien form back to his normal (and very human) body. As a brunette green-eyed boy replaced the glowing form of the fiery Pyronite, laughing came from maniacal doctor. "Hah! Not so tough now, huh boy? Without your alien form you are nothing but a mere speed bump in my way!" Fleetingly looking to the doctor, the hero was filled with dread for a brief moment until he realized something. On the head of the madman, a certain something was missing—something he had been using to control the very dangerous reptile below him…

"Hey Animo, don't you think you're forgetting something?" Ben asked almost innocently. Dr. Animo appeared confused for a moment—here he was, with the great Ben 10 at his mercy, and the hero was telling him he was forgetting something? What could he possibly be… As if waking from a deep sleep, the T-Rex abruptly swung its head up and roared wildly. "What the—" The dinosaur started to twist crazily, trying to get the clinging annoyance off of its back. Animo was flung off haphazardly from his perch into the windows of a nearby store. Which just happened to be a pet store.

Ben stifled a snort as he heard multiple shrieks and animal noises (mainly livid barking and hissing) from inside the demolished store window. He finally let out a small, almost girlish, giggle as the frantic cawing of a parrot reached his ears, accompanied by the sound of someone, most likely Animo, screaming something along the likes of: "Get off of me you stupid bird! Owwww! You insane feline, how dare you claw me?! Get off! Get off!" as he was so engaged in listening to the enraged shrieks of his nemesis, he didn't notice the angry growl behind him. Suddenly feeling enormous teeth hook into the fabric of his shirt, Ben glanced behind himself just in time to see the forgotten T-Rex grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. "Hey! No! Let go!" He yelled as he struggled to get his shirt from in between the teeth of the prehistoric reptile, who only clamped down harder. Ben thrashed about as the colossal dinosaur pulled him off the ground and dangled him in the air. Kicking his feet, he attempted to knock the dino in his jaws, to maybe startle him into loosening his hold, but the reptile only shook its head viciously.

Teeth rattling in his skull, both of which were starting to hurt from him clenching his jaws so tight and being shaken like a ragdoll, Ben wearily closed his eyes for a moment. _Maybe if he played dead the super dino would just drop him…_ What he didn't see was Dr. Animo sweeping feathers, fur, and glass from his shoulders as he stepped from the shattered window. However, when he saw the limp hero in the jaws of his creation, he almost shouted with triumph. Almost. Then he remembered that he no longer had his trans-modulator on his head, so the Rex was no longer under _his_ control. But it would be in a moment… Carefully picking a path through the debris that was all that was left of the street, Animo made his way towards the slightly damaged trans-modular laying on the ground where it had landed from earlier. Kneeling down before his precious device, he carefully picked it up and studied it. Thankfully, nothing appeared to be broken or burned beyond use from that blasted hero. Hurriedly fixing a few disconnected wires and adjusting the dial once again, Animo quickly settled the tech on his head once again and strapped it on tightly. Smirking triumphantly, he turned towards his brilliantly evolved super T-Rex and sent a telepathic command to the dinosaur. _Bring him to me._ For a moment, the dino swung his head around to stare at him stupidly, looking almost muddled that the voice-in-head had returned, but not having _near_ enough brain cells to figure out how _that_ was possible, it simply followed the order.

The poor street once again took a beating as the huge reptile's feet smashed into the pavement to come to a stop in front of the doctor. Ben 10 still hung almost lifelessly in the Rex's strong jaw, but Animo saw his chest rising and falling steadily. The madman supposed he was probably playing possum, he had heard no scream of pain or that last cry that proceeds being knocked unconscious, and the doctor had made no noise himself to alert the hero that he had left the damaged store. So instead of just letting his creation eat the cursed hero, he instead called up to the limp boy. "Hello Ben. Tricky situation you've got yourself into, Tennyson." Snapping his eyes open with startled surprise, Ben glanced disbelievingly down at his enemy who stood below leering at him from the sidewalk. Animo's smirk only widened at the hero's confused expression. Ben quickly snapped out of it though, and started immediately trying to struggle out the dinosaur's hold on his shirt.

"Now, now, Ben, don't struggle. You should have known this day would come. I was always the superior intellect and…" Ben furiously interrupted as he snarled out a defiant shout. "Oh shut it you old fart! When I get out of this, you're gonna—" With one thought towards the dinosaur, the T-Rex's head once again whipped back and forth viscously, making the hero twist painfully in its grip. With a groan, the teen slumped once again in its jaws. "Now as I was saying before you so _rudely_ interrupted me," Dr. Animo snapped out with an impatient tone, though his eyes glowed with pleasure at the forced submission of the hero. "This day was always meant to occur. But although it would be wonderful, and very, very…pleasant to simply kill you…my pride won't allow it. You are after all, only 16, right? So instead of destroying you, I will simply give you new purpose." Slowly coming round from his previous bout of brain-scrambling (which felt a whole lot worse than any roller coaster he'd ever been on in his life), Ben glanced up bewilderedly. "New…purpose? What…are you…talking…about?" He gasped out. Animo chuckled softly, sending another silent command to his creation, which immediately lowered its head so the boy swung before him closer to the ground. Striding forward, he came to a stop in front of the suspended teen, and took his jaw gently in his hands to lift his face upwards. Half-lidded eyes still briefly glimmering with pain, Ben mustered as defiant of a look as he could and tried to stare down his foe.

Animo allowed a tiny smile to pass his lips, almost gleeful at the prospect of what he was about to do. _How long he had looked forward to this day… _Countless months of planning, strategizing what would be the worst defeat possible for his nemesis…he had many ideas, some of them quite…questionable…but ultimately he had settled on the one that would be the most humiliating for the hero. Pulling a weapon Ben did not recognize or recall ever seeing before from his belt, Animo began to adjust a small dial on its side. The thing was almost tazer-like in appearance, except for the dial, and practically spelled danger for whoever was on the other end. "You see this device," Animo waved the insignificant looking object in front of the teen's face. "is called a DNA-configurator. Do you know what that means Ben?" to the hero, the doctor almost sounded like he was curious to see Ben's reaction. Shaking his head, he confirmed every suspicion Animo had that the boy didn't know a thing about biology or science. Ben's forte was fighting evil and saving the world from being blown into a million itty bitty pieces; next to that, school wasn't too high up on his To-Do-List. "Hmph. Too bad. But, as you're under-evolved brain cannot grasp the concept of this simple device, I shall explain it to you." With his head still slightly ringing from being shaken repeatedly, and then Animo spouting all this evil-scientist crap out of his mouth, Ben really wished right now that he was back in his Heatblast form…or better yet, Echo Echo or Big Chill or… "—and that is what a DNA-configurator does. Simple enough for you to understand, Tennyson?" Snapping out of his wandering thoughts, he realized the doctor had finished his explanation on his DNA-configurer-thing. "Errr…yes?" Animo's eyebrow quirked slightly, and his eye twitched angrily. "Since you refused to listen to my clarification on just what a DNA-configurator does, I guess you shall find out firsthand." He ground out as he brought the device closer to the teen's chest, almost directly in the center of his ribcage, and lifted Ben's shirt up far enough so he could see the tanned skin from his waist to his shoulders. Ben couldn't see much over the fabric that was lifted almost directly into his face, but he felt the cold press of metal meeting skin as Animo pressed the weapon into his chest. "This will hurt." The warning barely fell on the brunette's ears before his enemy flicked the switch of the device on and excruciating pain shot through his body like electricity.

The hero screamed and struggled harder and more desperately in the dinosaurs grip as agony gripped his entire being, feeling not unlike running into a cloud of thorns. Animo watched almost passively over the teen, noticing with twisted satisfactory the changes that were already occurring because of his igneous device. Changes that were happening unearthly fast on Ben.

Ben felt like his body was on fire, struggling to breathe as he floundered in the pain. His breathing was erratic, heartbeat out of sync and thumping madly like a rabbit's. His head ached suddenly, and even more strangely, his ears hurt. Then, slowly, he began to notice something very _wrong_. Something was happening to him…things were…changing… It started slow, this change; a small patch of gray fur began to grow on his left ear, and then not two seconds later, on his right. As the fur spread and thickened, his ears began to move on his head. Slowly but surely, they began to move up…up…up…till they were perched near the top of his skull, on either side. And as they went up, their shape changed as well. Human ears had stretched and transformed, becoming more cat-shaped and covered completely in thick, soft gray fur. Silky thin and delicate strands of pinkish tinted fuzz peeked out from within Ben's new ears.

Just as unsettling as the ears forming, the shocked and horrified teen felt another ache in a place which had seen no damage. His behind started to feel like he'd fallen on it on far too many occasions. Or more appropriately, it wasn't just his ass hurting, but his tailbone that was aching so. And then that horrifying feeling of transformation took over again…and a few moments later, a prehensile dark tail had sprouted. Well…sprouted wasn't exactly the right word for it, more like it had just _grown _from him. The weirdest thing about it was that he could _feel them_. The new ears and tail. He could feel them like they were really his limbs, just another part of him… The ears were just like his own, except the fact that his hearing had been increased almost tenfold, and he could move and swivel them about freely. The tail was…new. He could flex it almost like flexing his arm, but it felt strange and unnatural.

But there was still something…off… He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something else seemed to have changed without him noticing. Ben was literally thrown out of his thoughts as he hit the ground from being released from the dinosaur's maw. Once he felt ground beneath him though, he didn't get up off of his stomach. His old limbs as well as new ones felt leaden and dead, his body in overdrive after the transformation. He felt a shadow fall across his unmoving form, and could almost feel Animo's breath tickle his sensitized ears. "Well this is…unexpected. The DNA-configurator was supposed to turn you into a common house pet. I suppose when that deranged cat clawed at the dial…" The doctor trailed off, too deep in thought to consider the downed hero at his feet. Ben groaned, attempting to push himself up off the cement, but giving up quickly when his body still couldn't comply. His attention drawn back to his prisoner, Animo leaned down again to the brunette. "Although this is an unplanned turn of events, I will make do. I must say Ben, you do look quite cute as a ten-year old." _WHAT?!_ If Ben could have shouted at then, he would have, but speech was beyond his capability at the moment. It barely even crossed his mind that the last comment his enemy had made had been a bit pedophiliac he was so outraged by this new happening. The cat tail and ears he could deal with; he had been changing into a variety of aliens for almost his whole life, but being ten AGAIN?! That was too much.

Once again he tried to push himself up onto his elbows, with the same results as before. But this time his nemesis leaned down even farther over him. Ben felt a hand in between his shoulders hold him firmly (and surprisingly gently) down, as he heard with his newly enhanced hearing the sound of Animo opening a container in his belt and pulling something out. A cold, rough hand pushed the back of his now loose shirt up to his shoulder blades. "I didn't plan on having to knock you out to take you home, but seeing as things didn't quite go as planned…" Ben felt a small prick in his side, and the sensation of a foreign liquid pushing itself into his bloodstream registered in his brain. "Nighty, night little hero…" Black began to seep in at the edges of the teen's vision, a fog settling over his mind as well. _So tired…wanna sleep…_ A small voice in the back of his head was shouting warnings, but the drug muddled it all together into meaningless background noise…something that he could ignore. Green eyes slowly became hidden behind eyelids as Ben gave into the drug's influence, and he slipped into a deep dreamless sleep.

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Thanks for reading!

So, did you like it? This took me like two weeks to finish! But I'm pretty happy with it, except for the last two or three paragraphs... As always, read and review, I'd love to hear from you guys! whether or not there's a next chapter will depend on what kind of reviews I get, soooooooo...REVIEW PLEASE!

Until next time, many happy writing and readings to you all:

-Aquilalibra


	2. Deal With the Devil

**Aquilibra:** Hi guys! A new update for _Catastrophe_ finally! I'm actually very pleased with how this chapter came out. It's a bit longer than the last with more flair. Plus I was in a better writing mood. Dang my fingers are tired. Anyway, read and enjoy!

P.S. - To all those who commented: Thank you! I hope you find this chapter satisfying!

**(Notes & Warning: Please know that Ben 10 does not belong to me, and neither does Dr. Animo, and that I base no claim on either as my own. Also, as a warning, this chapter does contain some suggestive material. You have been warned.)**

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**Catastrophe**

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Chapter 2: Deal With the Devil

Waking up after being knocked unconscious was_ never _fun. Ben knew that from experience. Various villains, bounty hunters, and other assorted bad guys had taught him that over the years. So slowing coming to in a strange place; that was also strangely soft and warm, which was unexpected, was not very pleasant. Not to mention the fact that the past three hours or so was a muddled blur in his head. From what he could tell, it had to have been one _hell_ of a weird fight, seeing as he now had a freaking _tail_ with feline ears to match. As soon as whatever crazy arch-nemesis walked in, there were several questions he had in mind to ask (or rather scream at) them. Like why he was back to being a middle-schooler instead of his normal teenage self. The ears and tail he could live with, but having to go through puberty all over again?! _Oh hell no!_

But first things first, Grandpa's voice filtered in through his mulling thoughts, check out your surroundings, then plan escape. Cracking his eyes open slowly, Ben tried to see where he was, but then quickly shut them again as a small amount of light filtered in and instantly started up a hangover-worthy headache. A groan of pain almost forced its way from his throat, but he quickly pushed it back down. He was pretty sure he didn't want to alert whoever had…wait a second. _Where was he?!_ This definitely wasn't his room, the walls were concrete and from what he could tell, there was little to no furniture other than the bed he was laying on. Which was another thing. He was lying on a bed. And it wasn't **his**. He had no clue how he'd gotten there, and why he was in someone else's bed. And who—?

The smacking sound of combat boots on a hard surface abruptly snapped Ben out of his contemplating. Quickly jerking his head to the source of the noise, he narrowed his eyes at the shadowy corner, his new cat-like ears flicking towards where the sound seemed to be coming from. More footsteps and the slight outline of a person—at least it wasn't an alien, Ben thought—could be distinguished from the shadows. A soft laugh reached his ears, followed by what sounded like an…evil cackle? Only one creep he knew laughed that creepily. Animo. Why hadn't he thought of it before? Any other of his current enemies would have probably just awoken him forcefully or killed him while he was unconscious. Cowardly, but effective. "Animo! Why the hell did you bring me here?!" Almost seeming to frown, Animo stepped out the shadows and surveyed the angry teen—ahem, **middle-schooler**—chained to his bed. Reaching over to his right, Animo flicked a switch that turned on a dim light overhead. The light, though not very bright, lit the dark room and brought clearly into view the furious hero. Although with that cute gray tail and ears twitching wildly with anger, and those adorable green eyes narrowed, Ben didn't look very intimidating. More like a fussy kitten upset over having its food bowl taken away. If not for having to retain his dignity and status as a super-evil bad guy, Animo would have swooned then and there. The urge to attack the boy with hugs and just soak in all that cuteness was irresistible. But Animo resisted (he was a doctor after all). "Hey! Answer me! What's with," Ben gestured just barely with his manacled hands at his predicament. "all this? Why am I chained to your bed?!" Hearing his prisoner speak, very loudly in fact, at him seemed to bring him back to the present. "Huh? Oh yes. Well, truth be told Tennyson, I found you too adorable to kill." Animo said all this with such a straight face, and with all the seriousness of a widow at her husband's funeral; it was a feat itself that he managed to say adorable without faltering. "Let me go right no—wait, WHAT?!" God, if the doctor had only thought to bring a camera. Ben's expression now was priceless.

Ben was shocked—no beyond shocked, he had gotten over that a while back, now he was pretty much in the disbelieving stage. Not only had Animo not murdered him in his sleep, he had called him CUTE. It had to be some kind of sick joke. Some sick, perverted, twisted sense of humor that Animo found funny. At least that was the only conclusion Ben could come too. He couldn't actually-? No. But then again, hadn't he mentioned earlier…during the fight… The fight! It came rushing back. That past hour or so, fighting Animo's mutant dinosaur, getting knocked out… Crap.

"Change me back! Change me back now!" Ben shouted angrily at Animo, twisting and writhing in his confines. The doctor seemed a bit taken by surprise at the sudden change of attitude, but he supposed the drug had worn off. Shaking his head in mock apology, the villain walked to the side of the bed and leaned over the captive hero. "Sorry Tennyson, that's not quite…possible." Truth was, Animo couldn't have changed Ben back even if he wanted to, which he didn't. When the cat from the pet store had attacked , its claws had seriously damaged his DNA Configurator's controls, resulting in Ben's current form and the impossibility of his situation. In other words, the device was broken and Ben was stuck being a ten-year old with ears and a tail. His tail, at the moment, was jerking to and fro in an agitated manner, reflecting Ben's inner musings. The flicking appendage drew the eyes of Animo, who stared at it, fascinated. He wanted to reach out…stroke it… A scientific need, nothing else, he firmly reassured himself. As he noticed the older man staring at his tail in a odd way, Ben willed it to still and slipped it behind his back. "Fascinating…" Animo muttered to himself. Ben said nothing, but looked at him distressingly, worried where there was going. Animo was an _evil_ scientist after all. He might want to…dissect him or something. "Tell me, Ben, what does it feel like?" Animo blurted out, no longer able to control his scientific curiosity (because that was certainly all it was). "Oh, awesome. I just _love_ being chained up by crazy psychotic villains, especially _on their beds_." Ben's words practically dripped venom, his glare leveled and vicious like that of a cornered wolf. Shaking his head in an annoyed manner, the villain reached forward towards the trapped hero and grabbed his mahogany brown hair in his hands. Pulling up swiftly, he forced the youth to look him dead in the eyes. "Your tail." Animo ground out through his teeth. "_What does it feel like?_" Ben hissed as his hair was pulled roughly, and narrowed his eyes savagely at the doctor. When the boy didn't answer his question still, Animo yanked again, pulling Ben slightly up off the bed and the sound of clanking chains filled the dimly lit room. "Tell me!" He barked. "Gahhh! Stop!" Ben twisted in his grip, gripping the offending hand pulling his hair in such a painful way with his chained hands. But still Animo's grip did not release. "Okay! I'll tell you! Just…stop!" The grip on his hair was relinquished, depositing Ben back onto the bed. "Good boy. Now, let's try this again. No smart comments or insults. What does it feel like to have a tail?" The hero glanced at the mentioned appendage and then said hesitantly, "It feels…sorta like having an extra arm or leg. Just…weird." Nodding his head thoughtfully, Animo suddenly reached forward as if to grab the boy's hair again. Ben flinched and drew back almost involuntarily, eyes glued on the hand. When the chains didn't allow further movement away from the approaching appendage he was sure to cause more hurt, he clenched his eyes shut in apprehension. He tensed, waiting…

…Only to feel a hand…stroking his head gently. "Now was that so hard, little hero?" Ben flinched again, but could not shy away from the petting. The chains saw to that. Animo bared his teeth in a feral grin, sliding a finger down the hero's face, touch feather-light, and then lifted his chin up slowly. Ben's eyes were still tightly shut, not wanting to look upon the face of the evil doctor. To not have to see those eyes…and for the other to realize how pitifully _weak_ he was right now…

…If only he knew that Animo had already come to that conclusion. Just holding this power over the hero sent a thrill down Animo's spine. A tingling sense of excitement like leaping off the edge into the abyss. And he wanted more of that thrill, that sense of control and raw power. He wanted—no **needed** more. Holding the youth's chin in his hand, Animo's eyes swept over the prone hero on his bed. Ben's wrists were elevated above his head, chained to the metal headboard of the bed. His legs were slightly curled, like he had been trying to roll into a protective ball and had been interrupted. His new appendage, his gray tail, lay limply on the bed, unmoving. Lastly, his face; Animo had never truly thought about how well-featured Ben really was. His smooth, unmarred skin that was just tanned to perfection. His eyes, when open, which at the moment they were not, were a brilliant shade of emerald green, beautiful in both depth and clarity. Usually they shone with a light entirely of their own, but ever since Animo had walked in, they had burned instead of glowed. They burned with a green flame, an all-consuming fire that raged within him. All-in-all, Ben was something of a 'looker'. Animo had just never taken the time to truly appreciate it. Now, while the hero was prone and unresisting to him, he could just take it all in interrupted.

Something about the hero had always been…alluring to him… That much he would admit. But the other part of the attraction was far less modest and far more depraved. But Animo would never stoop so low as to be a pedophile, right…? Even super-villains had standards. But maybe he could exploit the current situation. Use it to his advantage. He had told Ben he wanted revenge on him for all the humiliation, the mockery and shame he'd brought on him. Thanks to the hero, Animo had become a laughing-stock among other super-villains. The literal black sheep in the crime family. All because of one measly teenage hero. Although, Ben wasn't a teen anymore. He was a weak, frail and easily dominated ten-year old. And then there was the ears and tail, surely not something Ben was oh-so-proud of right now. Yes, he could use this to his advantage. If he played his cards right.

All the while Animo mulled over thoughts in his head, his hand still on Ben's chin but his mind far away, Ben finally opened his eyes. He had felt the firm grip on his chin grow light and distant and wondered what was causing Animo to do so. So, curious as humans are, he opened his eyes. Animo had a glassy look in his eyes, not paying a lick of attention to the hero. Ben briefly wondered if Animo was thinking about him. He quickly, hurriedly, dismissed the idea. _Why did he even care? _He just wanted to get out of here and go home. Pretend this whole thing had never happened. So many lines Ben had strived to draw firmly in his relationship with his villains had been crossed in just the space of a few hours. This whole thing was headed in a direction he very much did not want to go. He pulled on his chains agitatedly. Once again, he was reminded of his predicament. And again, Grandpa Max's instructions rang through his head. One: Take stock of the situation. Captured by Animo, chained to his bed. Check. Two: Consider motives and enemy weaknesses. No idea what Animo is planning, self-conscious towards cracks about his doctorate and mental health. Check. Three: Look for possible escape routes. Hands unusable thanks to chains attached to headboard, legs a maybe, tail..? So far, no possible escape route. Check.

His dilemma was beginning to look more and more hopeless.

Remember the plan, Animo repeated to himself. Dropping his grip on the boy's chin, he stood back from the bed and picked something up from the bedside table. Ben watched him apprehensively, wondering exactly what the villain was doing. When the pale man turned around with the object in his hands it was revealed to be a…cellphone? Confused, and a tiny bit anxious, the youth glanced back and forth between the phone and the man holding it. "What are you..?" He started then trailed off. Animo approached the bed, this time walking to the other side and sitting on the edge. As the mattress dipped beneath the added weight, Ben couldn't help but move away a tiny bit. He leaned over his prisoner and showed him the phone. Ben's eyes followed the movement of his hand with the cellphone, wondering just what Animo was getting at. "See this Tennyson? I'm sure you what it is, seeing as how you formerly _were_ a teen." The villain flipped the phone open and appeared to be punching in a number. The sound of beeping filled the dead silent room with each press of his fingers. Finally when he was done, he turned the screen to Ben. Ben gasped. On the cellphone's small, brightly lit screen was his Grandfather's number. His shocked and dismayed stare glanced quickly to Animo, questioning without words. "Here's the situation, Ben: If you don't do as I say and be a good pet, I'm going to call your grandfather. When he answers, and he will if he values you, I will tell him that I have you at a specified location. Worried, and anxious to 'save' you, he will follow my instructions to go alone to that place. And then, once I have him exactly where I want him, I will set off a series of explosives and eradicate him permanently. So here's your options, either give yourself up to me or your grandfather is as good as dead." For a moment, Ben could only stare at the villain with unparalleled horror. He had two choices…one…he could refuse and Animo would kill Grandpa Max…two…he could surrender to the villain and have God knows what done to him… To anyone else, the decision itself would have been impossible. But Ben was a hero. And that meant others always came before himself. So his answer could only be one.

"I…I…give up. I'll…be your…pet."

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**Thanks for reading!  
**

**Okay people, end of Chapter 2! I think that went rather well, don't you? Don't worry about poor Ben, I'm sure his situation will get better...or maybe not..XD **

**Also, like, isn't Animo the slowest typer EVER!? I figured he wasn't really the social type so I gave him a super retro cellphone. Yeah guys, it's so ancient you've probably never even heard of it...**

**It's the flip-phone!**

**BUM BUM BUM!**

**Just messing with ya guys, :) I've had a flip-phone before, and it makes me very glad to have IPhone now!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and as always, please review! Flaming will be ignored but helpful critique is always appreciated! **


	3. Wishing You Weren't Here

**Chapter Content Warnings:**** Mild suggestiveness, mature themes, yaoi goodness, some foul language, etc.**

**_Ben 10 and all other referenced characters do not belong to me, I claim no ownership or copyright to them._**

**_If you already knew the previous information, feel free to read on. Thank you for your support and enjoy the new chapter of _****_Catastrophe_****_!_**

* * *

-o-O-o-

**Catastrophe**

-o-O-o-

Chapter 3: Wishing You Weren't Here

This totally sucked.

Big time.

At this point, Ben was sure his day couldn't get **any** worse. But of course, you give the universe a challenge, and it's sure to accept it. And its answer to his unsaid question was of course a horrible yes; his day _could_ get a lot worse. Ben almost wondered if Animo and the universe-that-seemingly-hates-him were in cahoots, because he sure would have never even dreamed of what Animo had come up with.

Of course the 'pet' thing was new. It wasn't like he hadn't been chained up or treated like a dangerous feral dog before, but the concept of him actually acting as a pet or being treated like one had never come up previously. Animo, however, had obviously not got the memo about not crossing that line between super-villain and creeper bad-guy. Chaining up your archenemy on a bed and blackmailing him into being your pet definitely crossed into the creepy zone in Ben's head. _Things could be worse_; the thought came from seemingly out of nowhere, and Ben almost immediately dismissed it. At least Animo wasn't…trying anything…with him. _Oh god…images!_ "My own head must hate me today…" Ben grumbled.

Animo looked across at him curiously, having only heard a slight mutter from the slouching hybrid that didn't seem to translate into a comprehensible sentence. Both sat on the main couch in Animo's living room, though Ben had scooted as far as possible away from the other. After verifying Ben would hold up his end of the deal, Animo had 'suggested' they move to a more…comfortable…location. Which just so happened to be the couch in his living room. Due to the only door leading out of the bedroom other than the bathroom door led to the decently sized living room, Ben hadn't gotten a good look at his surroundings. But he was stunned that Animo seemed to live in a clean, surprisingly well-kept double bedroom apartment. The living room itself, much like the bedroom, wasn't a huge statement in itself of the person living there. But then again, it wasn't like they sold a comfy couch set at Haverty's that screamed "Hi! I'm an evil genius who wants to take over the world using mutated animals!". There was a gray couch, set with its back to the bedroom door, directly in front of the flat screen TV, and a small side table with a remote and lamp sat beside it. At a right angle to the table and couch, an armchair sat all by itself in the corner of the room. Every wall Ben had seen so far was a very pale sky-blue. Each room also boasted decent wood flooring, except for the bedroom, which had been stripped clear of all furniture and decorations except for the bed and side table, and the floors bare to the cement foundation. Overall, it wasn't all terribly impressive, more like the average middle-class income home.

What puzzled Ben was why Animo, or rather _how_, Animo had come upon such a place. When did the villain find time to even buy a house? Other than battling him constantly, Ben knew little of his enemy's lifestyle. "So…what do you think?" Ben snapped his head up from resting it against his chest, jolted from his pondering by the sound of Animo's voice. "Huh? What?" He hadn't really been paying attention to his 'captor', too busy with his own musings to realize that Animo had been slowly inching towards him from the opposite side of the couch. Only a few inches apart now, Animo repeated his question strangely patiently, like a parent reprimanding a child. "I said, what do you think?" Ben gave him a confused look, not quite following what he was asking. "What do I think of what?" Animo rubbed his temple exasperatedly. "Honestly Ben! What do think of _my home_?" Understanding finally dawned on Ben, and he jerked his head about, taking in the room once more before answering. "I...uh...it's…nice?" Taking that as an acceptable answer from the young boy, Animo allowed himself a small smile. _He really is adorable_, he thought, watching the flustered hero try to read his expression. His emerald eyes were narrowed slightly, staring stoically at his folded hands in his lap, a light blush on his cheeks. "Ben…" Animo spoke in a hushed tone, as if talking to a frightened animal. Ben looked up from his lap at Animo, curiously wary, questioning without words. Animo was slowly reaching towards him, an outstretched hand lightly brushing a tuft of hair from Ben's eyes. Green eyes followed the movements wide-eyed, unblinkingly as the fingers just barely touched his forehead. For a moment, neither moved, Animo carefully observing the other's reaction. Ben recovered from his shock quickly, shoving himself backwards and jerking away from the reaching hand. "Wha—what are you playing at Animo?!" Ben sputtered angrily, glaring heatedly at the villain. Animo tilted his head at the former hero. "What am I playing at?" He grinned suddenly, and moving too fast for Ben to even realize what he was doing, he knocked the hybrid onto his back on the sofa cushions. Swiftly he grabbed both the boy's hands and pinned them above his head on the couch. Ben found himself suddenly under his enemy, pinned and defenseless, as Animo leered down at him from his newfound position. Squirming furiously, Ben seethed at being taken by surprise so easily. _That bastard…_ "Let me go! Let me..." The younger trailed off as he noticed Animo securing both his wrists with one hand. The other slowly started to trace its way down his side, sweeping lightly yet firmly. And most definitely in a sensual manner. As the appendage reached his abdomen, it stopped suddenly. Slowly, teasingly, the hand started its way up underneath Ben's shirt.

Feeling fingertips smoothing over his stomach, Ben froze in shock, staring straight ahead at nothing. Animo smirked again, moving his hand up even farther under the hero's shirt. The hand came to stop when he reached a slight bump on the otherwise smooth chest. _Bingo…_ A fingertip gently brushed over it, causing Ben to tense up and let out a gasp. "You're so sensitive…first time, huh?" Animo said with a grin on his face. The comment pushed Ben out of his stupor. "You…ugh…stop that…gah…right now!" The villain smirked devilishly as he took the hardening bud in his fingers and twisted it sharply. Ben arched without realizing it, a short gasp escaping his throat. "Why? You seem to be enjoying yourself…" Baring his teeth furiously, Ben's cat ears lowered themselves in an aggressive manner as a hiss escaped his throat. Animo felt the long since forgotten tail of the former hero twitching madly behind his back, clearly expressing the boy's current attitude. Though Animo could have already guessed it. "You...you asshole!" The hero again twisted desperately in the villain's hold, green eyes flashing angrily. He hated this feeling of utter helplessness that Animo seemed to love making him experience. "Tsk, tsk; that's naughty language coming from something as…_adorable_…as you, Tennyson." The white-haired elder tutted in a mother hen way, removing his hand from underneath Ben's shirt and easily grabbing his chin. He tilted the boy's head up, looking into those entrancing green orbs. Ben roughly jerked his chin away, breaking the eye contact abruptly. Instead of looking at his tormentor, he glared heatedly at the carpeted floor.

Animo nearly sighed at the lost sensation of those lovely green eyes. _If the boy persists in being so stubborn…there are other ways of making him compliant._ Moving his hand southwards again on the boy, but passing his earlier mark, and settling instead on the rim of loose-fitting jeans, Animo waited for Ben's reaction. But he was sorely disappointed when there was none. Ben was still staring hatefully at the unfortunate carpet, trying to burn a hole through it; he was still effectively ignoring Animo, determined not to lose what he saw as a battle of wills. Like hell if Animo thought he was going to be submissive to that bastard. Frowning with his mouth only—his eyes still held a mischievous glint—Animo decided to take his tactic a step farther. The hand traveled past the edge of the pants, instead going _under_ the material and slipping underneath another piece of fabric beneath the jeans. And finding what the hands had been searching for, fingers wrapped lightly around it. It was then that Animo finally got the response he wanted. Ben went as rigid as a post, his regular breathing suddenly turning into soft pants. A muffled whimper came from him. His hands in Animo's grip clenched until his knuckles turned white. "Sooooo Ben, don't you like the wall color? Such a nice shade of blue, don't you think? Of course, I myself think that green, maybe a pale olive color would have looked wonderful. Your thoughts?" The bizarre comments on wall color somehow reached through the clouded haze and Ben's mind and prompted a reply from him. "Y-you're…c-crazy Animo." The blush on the brunette's face had deepened, turning a most becoming shade of red. The rest of his expression though was clearly flustered and pissed about it. Animo doubted the boy had any 'experience' so to speak, being a hero undoubtedly took away most of his free time and made relationships next to impossible. Not that Animo was very different. After he had become a super villain, apart from chasing people or being chased by the hero, he had no physical contact with others. Because after all, who would date an evil psychopath? But there were of course the years before he had turned to crime; he had once known the touch of another, but the feeling had long since passed.

Snorting softly at the weak insult, Animo leaned down over his captive with a devious grin. "Am I now?" He said softly into the twitching gray ear, no doubt tickling the tiny sensitive hairs within. Ben pressed himself deeper into the couch cushions, but Animo only lowered himself farther, his hand moving again within the confines of the boy's pants. "A-ahh!" Ben again arched off of the couch, but was ground back down harshly by the villain. "Don't—don't do that!" Ben gasped. He bit down harshly onto his lip as a moan tried to escape. Animo's hand moved again, eliciting a squeak and a muffled whimper from the brunette. "Why…are you…doing this?" The words came between gasps and pants, as the hand had started to pick up a little speed, stroking the boy's member. Animo leaned down again and took the tip of one of Ben's twitching gray appendages in his mouth and nibbled lightly on it as he answered. "Why?" He paused in his nibbling and stroking, sitting up on the small boy and looking thoughtful. "Hhmm…" The super villain contemplated, a stray hand (NOT the one that had been doing—things—to Ben) scratched his chin in a comical thinking stance. "Well, for one, for revenge. Consider this payback for all those years you mocked and thwarted me, Tennyson." Animo smirked down at the pissed hero, no doubt striking a nerve with his overly arrogant attitude. "And two…you do make a lovely pet. Cute, submissive, weak…" Animo trailed off, wanting the hero to put two and two together himself. "Submissive?!" Ben screeched, pulling futilely at the elder's grip on his hands, which didn't waver a bit at his struggling. "Who the hell are you calling submissive?! Like I would ever bow down to a freak like you!" That last comment did tick Animo off a little. He, _not Ben_, was the victor here! When was the boy going to realize that?

Answering Animo's unspoken question, Ben jerked one hand free from the villain's grip and curled his hand into a fist. With little warning, he swung wildly at the villain's face. Frowning still from the last insult, and now this little cheap shot, Animo caught the fist easily, stopping it in its tracks. Yet again Ben found himself with both hands suspended and useless. He snarled, lip curling up to unexpectedly show off an overly sharp pair of canines. Another unanticipated twist from the DNA configurator's blast. Increasing the pressure on his hold on the small hand in his grip, he squeezed until Ben visibly winced in pain. "You should know by now…little hero…that resisting me is pointless." Hissing as the grip on his fist tightened to the point where he could almost _hear_ his small bones creak, Ben snapped back angrily at his captor. "Did you steal that line from some movie, doc? Because it sounds like something some cheesy screenwriter would put on a manuscript." Frustrated that his young charge was still not seeing the point of his argument, he decided to just take it one step farther. Releasing the painful hold on Ben's hand, he instead transferred it to where he was holding both his limbs down again. Then he reached around to his own backside, sticking his hand deep in his back pocket, searching. When the hand reappeared, the older's long, gray fingers clenched a coiled piece of black rope. Eyes catching sight of the cord, Ben threw a fit beneath the villain, tossing and twisting desperately to get away. "Stop it! What are you doing?! Let the fuck go!" His arms remained immobile as Animo raised them up about an inch of the couch and wound the thick black rope around his wrists tightly. Tying the two ends together in a perfect knot, the villain got up and stood back to admire his work for a moment. Ben frantically tried to loosen the hindrance on his hands so he could twist them free, but to no avail. The rope remained taut, not giving a single inch to his desperate struggles. Hissing furiously at his failure, he turned his indignant green gaze on the one responsible for his miserable defeat. "**Get. This. OFF!**" He screeched at the smirking bad guy. Smirk widening further, Animo shook his head sternly. "I don't think I shall. You've been such a bad kitty after all, even when I tried to give you a nice little…_stroking_. I think you're rather in need of some punishment to rectify this naughty behavior." The lewd tone in the other's voice tipped Ben off just enough to know what exactly his 'punishment' would be. He shuddered at the unpleasant thought, cheeks heating up without his consent. Animo stalked back over to the couch, moving akin to a lion hunting prey, pinning the younger by climbing onto his small chest on his hands and knees. Ben's bound hands moved to the other's chest to try and push him off. But accomplished nothing other than gaining the attention of the one pinning him. "I see from your face that you're rather excited to be punished…" Animo leaned over and whispered in the small feline ear, a sultry coating over his silky voice. Again the younger blushed furiously, unable to stop the heat flooding to his cheeks at the comment. "I am not!" He defended himself quickly, glaring defiantly at Animo. However his gaze widened when Animo chuckled and spoke again into his trembling gray ear. "I'll make sure you enjoy every second of your punishment, little hero…" Stepping off the cushions abruptly, the villain straightened up to full height, gazing at the mess he had made of the now seemingly tiny hero. His green eyes shocked, ears flattened on his head in a show of anxiety, tail fluffed up with fear. Quickly bending over the hero, he scooped him up in his arms as if he was a small child—which, technically speaking, he was. "H-hey!" Ben yelped in surprise as he was picked up from the couch cushions and cradled in the arms of his archenemy. The older male gripped him tightly to his chest, clutching at him like he might try to run away. Which [if he could] he certainly would have. Animo started towards his bedroom door, striding across the living room floor with growing anticipation. "W-wait! Where are we going?!" Ben cried in surprise as the bedroom's entrance grew ever nearer. Judging from Animo's tone before, that room was **definitely not** where he wanted to be right now. Smiling almost gently at the hybrid hero in his arms, which was most unlike him, Animo said happily as if was the most normal thing in the world, "To give you a bath of course!".

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**Yay! Another chapter done! I've now beat my own personal record of two chapters for a story! Sad, I know XD.** **I wrote most of this after watching Junjou Romantica (OMG LOVE that show!) episodes, so if you see the similarities, its because there are quite a few. Also, if you can tell me what movie is referenced for that famous catchphrase, you get a cookie! (or something) Anyway, as always, please rate and review! I would love to hear from readers; of course, please keep your opinions professional, if you want a place to flame, go visit a campfire, because I'm not interested! **

**Also, if you see any grammar errors, PLEASE TELL ME! I can't stand it when I read something that isn't grammatically correct, so you shouldn't have too either! **

**Thanks for reading and be sure to look forward to the next chapter!**

**-Aquilibra**


	4. Why Cats Hate Water

**Chapter Content Warnings:**** Fluffiness, cat-boy hybrid cuteness, adorability, Animo pedophile-ness, and other general fluffy shit. Oh yeah, and some suggestiveness, I guess.**

**_Ben 10 and all other referenced characters do not belong to me, I claim no ownership or copyright to them._**

**_If you are awesome enough to be reading this, enjoy the newest chapter and all of its long-ness! Thank you for your support and enjoy the new chapter of _****_Catastrophe_****_!_**

Also, while I'm at it, in response to some of the awesome comments I've gotten:

To **fullmoonwolf950**: Thanks so much! Your support is really appreciated! And I'm sorry there was no AnimoxBen goodness yet, but don't worry, I'm saving up for it!

To** Vanessa Masters**: Thank you for checking! I was wondering if anybody would! Remember, if you see any mistakes, feel free to tell me!

To **Snowdevil the Awesome**: on a random note here, let me first just say that I love your profile picture. I'm a huge cat fan, LOL. Anyways, thanks for your encouragement! (And I agree, poor Ben!)

* * *

-o-O-o-

**Catastrophe**

-o-O-o-

Chapter 4: Why Cats Hate Water

"NO!" A shriek echoed through the small hallway, the sound emanating from the hybrid hero. Animo had a firm grip on his thin waist, practically dragging the boy towards the bathroom door, which undoubtedly lay beyond the bedroom door, their current destination. Meanwhile Ben struggled with all his might to escape his grip. "I DON'T WANNA BATH!" Animo would have covered his ears at how close in proximity the scream was, nearly deafening to his poor eardrums, if not for him having to keep a tight grip on his captive. The whole situation was pretty comical, really. Ben had his fingers desperately trying to grip at the wall, scraping uselessly against the flat surface. He was wailing almost pathetically, looking the picture of a miserable cat being dragged off for a bath. "Oh quit your caterwauling, Ben, it's just a bath. You're acting like a 5-year-old." Animo said sternly, fighting to keep his hold on the squirming cat-boy. "LET ME GO!" The villain would most definitely need a hearing test after this, and look into getting some ear plugs. He didn't even know 10 year olds could be this difficult, and that their voices could reach the octave of almost glass shattering power. Animo was surprised his ear drums could stand being this close to the screeching little monster.

When the bedroom door was finally within grabbing distance, Animo switched his grip on Ben to underneath one arm so he could turn the knob and push the door open with one shoulder. Ben's fingers clawed desperately at the blue walls and door with frantic feverishness. They raked uselessly against the smooth surface, unable to grip the flat sheet-rock wall. As they passed through the doorway, Ben lashed out with his hands and latched onto the trim like a lifeline. Animo's brisk walk was immediately jolted to a halt as his bundle refused to be carried any farther. The villain tugged and pulled, but Ben remained firmly grasping the doorway, resulting in a very strange tug-of-war between the two. "Ben! Let go right now!" "Nuh-uh! I'm not getting wet!**" **Suddenly the doctor had a devious idea to get the younger to let go. Wrapping one arm around both kicking legs, Animo smirked and forced one foot to be still. His other hand moved forward quickly and started lightly brushing the appendage skillfully. Ben's squirming instantly tripled, but his grip on the doorway lessened. "No-eek! Sto-ah-op that!" Animo's tickling was merciless though. Uncontrollable giggling and poorly muffled laughter poured from the hybrid's mouth. "I'm not stopping until you let go—or are forced to let go." The villain said with a small smile and continued tickling. Ben's grip again loosened, his fingers straining to keep a firm hold while his mind was so distracted by the uncontrollable giddy feeling. The poor hybrid couldn't fight the smile off his face, the sensation so treacherously good yet horrid. The battle was instantly lost for the brunette as Animo added the other foot to his warzone. With an "Eep!" of surprise, the already weakened grip was released and Ben fell to the floor, feet still caught in Animo's grip. Ben was left in his awkward position for only a moment, the triumphant doctor hurriedly stooped over and picked him up. Throwing him almost casually over his shoulder, he made it to the bathroom door before the younger's stupor wore off. Beating his tiny fists as hard as he could against Animo's back—which wasn't very effective overall—Ben yelped indignantly. "Put me down! Put me down!" Realizing his meager assault had no effect whatsoever on the villain, he grumbled and went limp on his shoulder. Shifting his bundle gently, Animo strode into the medium sized bathroom. It wasn't altogether amazing; just simply a functional, usable, washroom. Setting the younger on the edge of the bathtub, Animo took in the heated glare and crossed arms. Ben's emerald eyes were narrowed, pupils dilated to almost cat-like slits, anger radiating in waves off of him. Gray ears were pulled back to his skull, tail flicking in annoyance and barely restrained anger. Animo bent forward and removed the rope from around his small wrists, doing so gently, although the other didn't even seem to notice or care. "Now you stay here for a minute and don't…er…touch anything; I need to go change." Animo said firmly as he started for the door again. Reaching it, he turned back, looking thoughtful and a bit unsure. Then whatever he had forgotten about seemed to suddenly come back to him, and he added: "_And behave_."

The door slid shut with hardly a sound, except for a small barely audible metallic click. A second after he was sure his enemy was gone from the room [and immediate hearing range] Ben's leaped to his feet and rushed to the closed door. He desperately twisted the knob, tugged and shoved on the door, but it was locked tight. "Damnit." He hissed. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. It never was. The universe just seemed to love making things difficult for him. Looking around frantically for anything he could use as a weapon, or an escape route he hadn't seen yet, or anything to help his situation. But no such luck.

He searched through the cabinets, shoving past cleaning supplies and shampoos looking for something useful. All he found was what appeared to be—with a look of disgust Ben shoved the accused bottle into the very back of the vanity. Frustrated with his fruitless search, he quickly closed the cabinet doors. The unexpected find came back to his mind; Ben glanced at the closed doors and shuddered. That was one product he didn't need to know Animo had. Brushing the thought aside, he went back to checking around the bathroom. As his bare feet smacked against the unoriginal black and white checkerboard tile, the hero finally noticed he didn't even have his shoes on. "Must of fallen off when I changed..." He said softly, mostly to himself. Even in a time like this, with so many other things going to hell, he still missed his sweet kicks. When he had woken up, Animo had already completely changed his very fashionable—and functional—wardrobe. The shirt was at least clean, though a few sizes too big, but it definitely made Ben wonder where the villain got a shirt obviously too small for himself. And when he found the time to go shopping. For some reason, he just couldn't picture his enemy in a department store, looking through various racks of clothes. Thinking of one last place to check, Ben tugged gently on one side of the mirror above the vanity sink. To his delight, the mirror swung outwards, opening to reveal the hidden shelf. Assorted pill bottles and smaller containers took up most of the compartment. Other than a few common medicine brands; mostly for everyday aches, like headaches, fevers, or coughs, there wasn't much to see. One pill bottle caught his eye. It looked like a specialty item. Something that required going to a pharmacy counter. Ben reached for the bottle on his tippy toes, stretching as far as he could to grab it. The little container stayed just out of reach, his new slight stature making what should have been an easy task made impossibly hard by genetic tampering and an evil genius. Fingertips barely brushing the side of his prize, the hybrid made one final effort, leaping up and grabbing the pill bottle quickly.

Ben landed solidly on the ground, yet lightly with only a small _thump_. He stared at the curiosity in his palm, ears perked forward with interest, and tail whipping against the ground in an excitedly impatient manner. Rolling it in his hand, he scanned over the label.

**_RX Pharmaceuticals_**

_For the Order of Aloysius J. Animo_

**_Prescribed:_**_ Bremelanotide_

**_Dosage:_**_ 1 Tablet When Needed_

**_Warning:_**_ Drug may increase blood pressure, risk of stroke,_

_ and may lower the body's immunity against diseases. _

_Please notify your doctor right away if any of these _

_symptoms occur._

The brunette had no idea what Bremelanotide was, but he supposed it wouldn't be useful. Feeling defeated and slightly ticked that his efforts had gotten him nowhere, he tossed the bottle into the sink of the vanity. Looking down, Ben realized he had walked back to his original starting point. Figuring he might as well sit and wait for Animo to come back in, the thought crossed his mind that maybe he should stand by the door and wait for the unsuspecting other to walk through, and jump him. That idea was quickly dismissed though, seeing as at the moment, the villain had about forty pounds on him. _If only I had my omnitrix._ Unfortunately, as soon as his DNA had been changed, the device simply shut down, turning into dead weight on his small wrist. Although it wasn't altogether awful. At least it hadn't dropped off right into the hands of his enemy. But he also couldn't use it as long as the omnitrix didn't recognize his genetic code—which was a problem currently, seeing as Animo had seriously tampered with his DNA.

So...no superpowers for the time being.

…Great.

After what had seemed like decades for the hero, Animo finally returned. He strode through the doorway with both hands behind his back and a casual grin on his normally scowling face. His outfit had changed. Instead of his usual black shirt-brown pants combo (which violated like _every_ fashion rule in the known universe), he wore a loose fitting t-shirt for some random company and gym shorts. Surprisingly enough, it actually matched. The shirt was a light blue with dark navy letters lined in gray saying "Bellwood Canyon" and the gym shorts were gray with a black stripe down each side facing outwards. The t-shirt was what really caught Ben's eyes though. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Did you get that after our fight in the canyon?" Animo stopped, blinking at him in disbelief. He looked down and seemed to realize what the other was referring to. "Uh…yeah. You remember that?" The villain seemed surprised that Ben recalled that particular fight from all those years ago. He'd been ten at the time after all. "Of course I remember! I never did like ants afterwards…" The last comment was made in a mumbled tone; probably escaping from the younger's mouth without him meaning it to. Animo snorted quietly, tempted to laugh but resisting. Admittedly, that particular world-domination-plot hadn't been Animo's best plan. The insects had been too easy to fool with their own scent, allowing Ben and his allies free reign of his fortress and enough time to send his entire plan up in flames—literally. Just like any other of his failed evil endeavors though, as soon as he got out of prison, the failure was forgotten and he moved on to other ideas and schemes. It was sort of like his coping mechanism with losing; forget and forge on.

Animo had almost forgotten that afterwards [with his evil fortress of doom destroyed and everything] he'd stumbled into a random gift shop and purchased this shirt for some reason. Then again he was pretty sure his shirt had been destroyed in the explosion; that was probably why the clerk hadn't said anything while he shoved over five bucks for the shirt. Whether or not the clerk was shocked by his strange skin color or his lack of a shirt or even the smell of burnt hair was a mystery to him. Animo snapped out his flashback, reaching the younger in three quick strides. Pulling two towels from behind his back where he'd been hiding them, he hung them on a towel rack Ben had not noticed to the right of the tub. Walking to the side of the tub, he barely glanced at his captive as he bent over to close the drain of the tub and turn the knob of the faucet. Water began to stream steadily out of the metal pipe into the bathtub. Animo reached a hand into the waterfall, testing the temperature. Adjusting the knob a bit, he was finally satisfied he had the water the perfect temperature. Ben watched him uncertainly, not really sure why the villain wasn't even speaking to him anymore—he wasn't gloating or mocking him, or even reminding him of his miserable defeat. This Animo just didn't seem to compare to the image of the other he'd developed over the years. But perhaps you couldn't really know a person just from fighting them. The only background Ben had ever found out about the doctor was that he had gone crazy after being beaten by a fellow scientist for an award. Some people would have seen his reaction as overreaction, but Ben figured now that since that award had meant everything to Animo's pride, his ego, the loss had literally driven him mad. Noticing the younger staring at him in a puzzled way, Animo slowly shifted his own gaze from the water to his guest. Tawny eyes met emerald for only a moment before Ben averted his eyes quickly. Shaking his hand free of any water, Animo turned and sat on the edge of the bathtub next to the brunette. Those entrancing green eyes refused to meet his gain, much less acknowledge his presence.

Ben stared fixedly at the tiled floor, seeing in the corner of his eye Animo sit next to him on the tub's rim. He was unsure what to say, what to do; this whole predicament that he was in was so foreign, unknown territory. Suddenly he felt arms encircle his waist, pulling him sideways and upwards. "Wha—!" The startled yelp escaped him as his posterior met a lap. Blinking in shock, Ben found himself in a place he had never thought he'd be—Animo's lap. The villain hugged him to his chest, arms wrapped around his small frame gently but tightly. "Hey! What are you—" Ben didn't get to finish as Animo shushed him firmly and began to stroke his head almost lovingly. Long pale fingers lightly ran through his hair, moving up to his cat ears and pinching them between fingertips and rubbing methodically. Ben's protests faded away as a fog settled over his rational mind, a purr rising from his throat without his consent. The doctor then began to pull the clothing from Ben without protests from the younger. His shirt came off first, revealing a pale chest and flat stomach. The pants were harder; Animo had to balance the hybrid precariously on his lap and tug the shorts off and continue petting at the same time. Finally his pet was completely nude in his lap. He then tossed the clothes aside for later use. The older studied the youth in his lap, unresisting at the moment to his gaze. Of course he'd never seen the other without clothes before. He didn't stalk the boy for crying out loud! God—Animo wanted so badly then to just ravish the younger. But for now he would refrain from doing so. Best to let the other keep his spirit while he could.

The villain held the hero fixated on his lap, stroking his ears rhythmically, pulling the purr from the younger with each stroke. Unwillingly, Ben's eyes slid shut, the soothing effect of the rubbing forcing him to calm and submit to the will of the other. Animo again felt that rush of adrenaline at the power he held over the former hero. He was jolted out of his reverie by the slopping sound of water very near the top of the tub. The same tub he was sitting on. Jerking about, but not so much as to knock the lulled cat-boy off his lap, Animo saw that the water had reached a good depth. Still petting with one hand to keep the younger under his control, he stretched the other to reach the faucet. Animo turned the handle and cut the water off, ending the flow of water almost instantly. Steam drifted off from the still pool, letting him know it was plenty warm enough. Shifting the limp hero to pick him up, and praying the calming effect wouldn't wear off immediately, Animo stepped into the bathtub. Ben jerked back to life as the tip of his gray tail touched the hot water. His eyes shot open, aware of his surrounding once more. But instead of flipping out and attacking his holder, he froze with fear, something uncharacterized with the hero role. Sharp nails dug into the doctor's arms holding him up above the water. Animo winced in pain, but didn't drop the hero, trying not to startle him into a panic. His wide eyes were that of a frightened animal—not that of a sentient being. Using that brief relapse into feral instinct to his advantage, Animo lowered himself and Ben further into the warm water. Ben's aft once again met Animo's lap as he sank to the bottom of the bathtub. Animo felt the wet tail slide against his thigh like a wet snake, but he fought the urge to jerk back from the touch. Ben's gray cat ears were pressed flat to his skull with fear. Settling his captive in between his legs, Animo continued the soothing stroking. "Easy now…calm down…it's alright…" The villain spoke in calming tones, as if speaking to a wild animal. With each stroke, the dainty little ears soon perked up again, and the rigid stance relaxed and loosened. Once more Ben's green eyes were shut in bliss. Pleased that his tenant was calm enough to continue, Animo reached for a bottle of shampoo sitting on a small shelf. Squirting a small amount of his hand, he capped the top back onto the container and set it back in its place. The villain rubbed his hands together to spread the shampoo and then began lathering it on Ben's hair and ears. He massaged the younger's scalp, running his fingers through his hair gently so as not to tangle it, and worked out any knots he found. Next came the ears. Very meticulously scrubbing the delicate appendage, and being sure not to get any soap in the ear itself, Animo cleaned both cat ears thoroughly. After washing out all of the shampoo with the small handheld rinser next to the main water faucet, Animo did the same with the conditioner. By the time he was done, Ben's hair drooped in sopping wet bangs over his face like a waterfall of hair. Each tendril dripped into the water below; the plopping was about the only sound in the room except for Animo's movements and Ben's purring. It was still unbelievably strange to the doctor that Ben was still not speaking or uttering a sound; the only sound that emanated from him was the rumbling purr that sounded akin to an old boat motor. He had never heard the hero be this silent before, he was usually full of witty banter and smart remarks to say. It seemed that just by stroking or petting him in a smooth rhythm was a very effective tool for keeping him quiet and submissive.

Meanwhile Ben was caught in a stupor, unable to break free from the haze in his mind. He felt like he was floating in blissful unawareness. Unable to reach the world outside, mute, enjoying and hating every second of it at the same time. He couldn't fight the fog that blanketed his consciousness, muffling his own thoughts and making it hard to think. That stupid petting Animo was doing put him in some kind of trance due to his cat-side. Ben felt his enemy cleaning his hair and ears carefully, but could do nothing to stop him or protest otherwise. It was infuriating. Ben was strong willed by nature, and being forced to bend to this creep's will, even if he wasn't physically in control of himself, was revolting.

After one final rinse of water over his head to wash off any stray soap, Animo grabbed a small colorful bottle labeled as body wash. Animo squirted a hearty dose into his hand and proceeded to layering it onto the small hybrid between his legs. As his hands ceased their entrancing movements and left Ben's scalp, the brunette's purring slowly faded out and his haze cleared. Ben felt as if he had just woken up after an extremely rejuvenating and incredibly good nap. But finally being aware of his surroundings was a huge improvement. Ben shook his hair, scattering droplets of water off in every direction as he did. The fog in his head dissipated as if it had never been there at all. Glancing down, it hit him like a hammer where he was exactly, and that he was—_he did not._ "Animo…" Ben hissed out venomously, head twisting slowly to look behind him. His suspicion was confirmed. The same aforementioned doctor sat behind him, looking about as innocent as a super villain could. "**Why**…**the hell**…**am I in a tub**…_with you?!_" Ben spat out with a snarl on his face. Animo grinned uncertainly, trying to think of a good excuse to satisfy the seriously pissed cat-boy. "I told you, this was your punishment. Couldn't have my pet getting dirty now, could I?" But Animo's answer seemed to only infuriate Ben further. He bolted upwards, intending to escape the tub prison, only to realize at the last second that he _really shouldn't_ be standing up at the moment. His face went stark red, and he dropped like a stone back to the safety of the water. Pulling his knees up to his chest cover himself, he turned back again to glare at his captor as best he could with his current problem. "I hate you." He hissed venomously at the older male. Animo sighed quietly, not really surprised at the outburst, but nonetheless happy that at least Ben hadn't run away. Not that he really had much of a choice. But still. "Yes, yes, I know Tennyson. But you'll get over it." Animo stroked Ben's hair absentmindedly, hoping for his words to be true. There was a very, _very_ slim chance of that kind of outcome, but it never hurt anyone to dream right? Ben jerked his head away from Animo's hands, not about to get caught up in—whatever that thing was his hands did to him. Gray ears pressed to his head in a show of distaste as he curled his lip up to reveal his canines. "I doubt that." Ben muttered. The two sat in uncomfortable silence, the water slowly cooling around them as it lost its heat. Animo suddenly jerked out his hand and reached around Ben in one swift movement. As his hand brushed his thigh, Ben froze, nervous of what the other was doing. But Animo simply reached beneath the water and opened the drain of the tub to allow it to empty. Water quickly began to drain about them, making a sloshing noise as it flowed down the plumbing. Without saying a word, he stood up and stepped over the side of the bathtub. Ben was bewildered to whether the other was angry or just uninterested. He watched as Animo made his way to where he had hung their towels and grabbed one, throwing it around his neck, and folding the other towel over one arm. "Get out." Ben flinched at the command, though it wasn't malicious or angry. It was devoid of any emotion really. He rose on wobbly legs, like a newborn foal, and caught the towel tossed at him. "Dry yourself off." The younger sighed in relief at being able to finally cover himself up. Being so exposed was not a pleasant experience. He stepped out of the tub and stood on the mat beside it dripping. As he toweled himself off, Ben saw Animo do the same. "Um…where are my clothes?" He asked hesitantly. Animo glanced his direction, his tawny eyes seemed to size him up for a second, and he clenched the towel tighter around him. "Come here." Animo replied shortly to Ben, motioning for him to stand in front of him. Ben quirked his head unsure, but timidly walked over and stood where he was directed. The villain lightly gripped the towel, loosening Ben's grip on it just enough for it to drop to the floor. The brunette stood anxiously as he felt finger gently slide up his back, but relaxed slightly when he felt them replaced by fabric, and then stretched his arms upwards so Animo could put the shirt on him. The material brushed softly against his skin, and settled. Ben turned to the other and picked up the pants offered and put them on. "Thanks…" He mumbled, not sure what else to say. Animo's features finally softened from the stony, stoic expression and smiled slightly. "You're welcome, kitten." He glanced at a wall clock Ben hadn't noticed before after he spoke. His countenance quickly changed. "Oh my. Look at the time. I do believe it's your bedtime." Animo said lightly. Ben shot him a confused look at the strange remark. "Bedtime?"

Animo nodded and made his way to the door. Turning the lock slightly, there was a barely audible click, and he slid the door open. He gestured beyond the door and turned back to his captive. "Well don't just stand there! Come on, off to bed with you!" For the seemingly millionth time that day, Ben shot the villain a priceless expression—a mixture of what, why, and WTF? "**Come on**," Animo said sternly, walking over to the younger and grabbing him by the ear (his cat ear). He started tugging instantly, dragging Ben towards his goal, the bathroom door. "Wait!" Ben yelped as he was forced to follow the one pulling his ear. "Why are we going to bed?!" Ben shouted, desperate to get the other's attention, and get him to stop jerking his poor ear. However, Animo's actions didn't cease, in fact he stepped up his pace. His only answer was both strange and random.

"It's cuddle time!"

* * *

**LONGEST CHAPTER EVA. **I'm not even kidding you, peeples, that was loooooooooong, even for me! I worked about a week or so on this, and I'm pretty please with the finished product.

As always, you see any grammer errors, wrong verb usages, mispellings, or other mistakes, send me a message. Proofreading is always appreaciated and wanted. Also, criticism is perfectly fine as long as its constructive. Thanks for all the follows; please rate and review if you liked it!

Next chapter coming at you mebbe' next month.

-Thanks!


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